One of the nation's leading public law schools, the Moritz College of Law strives to make a difference in the world through excellence in teaching, meaningful scholarship, and advancement of the legal profession.

It's the best of all worlds for students at the Moritz College of Law. Classes are small and intimate. Yet, they can enjoy the facilities, resources, and entertainment only a world-class university can offer.

There is something for everyone in Columbus, Ohio. There are more than 50 student groups at the law school alone, culturally enriching activities on campus year-round, and a thriving city to explore a few blocks from Drinko Hall.

Our alumni network is hard at work from coast to coast and beyond U.S. borders. Stay connected with classmates and the College through campus events, alumni gatherings, and many opportunities to mentor today's law students.

The Career Services Office is a hub for students, alumni, and employers alike. Whether it's a student looking for summer job opportunities or leading legal employers in search of highly qualified candidates, our staff is here to help.

Externships

Professor Walker will work closely with each student to secure an externship for the summer program. The externship will be for at least 20 hours per week for at least seven weeks. Each intern will have a supervisor where they work, and the supervisor will be required to commit that at least 80 percent of the intern’s time will be substantive work.

How to apply for Externships

Getting a good externship is a joint effort of the student and Professor Walker. In light of the experiences in previous summers and the professsor’s recent work in the Washington, the program has a good head start on a number of employers who will be willing to consider applicants from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

In your enrollment materials, you will indicate areas of interest as well as any leads you may have for an externship. Professor Walker then often calls individuals directly to try to match you with a possible opening. In past summers, some of these positions were filled in January, while others took until April. In getting the externship, your own efforts are of course important – an employer will generally only agree to hire you after interviewing you directly.

Professor Walker will work hard in concert with students to place students, and are highly confident everyone will be placed in a substantive and interesting internship. Students may or may not get their first choice, and the internship may be lined up anytime between December and April, but again the we are confident that all program participants can and will be placed well.

Will the externship be paid?

The basic approach for the program is that students receive academic credit, not a salary, for the summer. The unpaid nature of most externships makes it much easier for students to get interesting, substantive positions for the summer.

Students in the externship class receive three credits for a mix of academic work (a class presentation and paper) and externship work. As permitted by accreditation standards, the number of hours of class meeting for this three credit course is much lower due to the externship hours worked. In a few cases, students get paid internships and often then do an independent study paper for credit. In conformance with American Bar Association standards, students can receive up to $100 per week from their employer, considered a reimbursement for expenses, without that being considered as paid work. In compliance with ABA rules, students also are permitted to receive funding from other sources, such as for public interest fellowships, while receiving credit.

What if I find a job on my own in D.C.?

If you find a job or externship in D.C. based on your efforts, without applying to the program first, you may still wish to participate in the program in either of two ways. First, you can contact Professor Walker, explain that you have found a position in D.C., and say you would like to enroll in the program. The likely answer will be yes. Second, you may wish to enroll in one or two of the courses without joining the full program. If so, it will be treated like signing up for any other Moritz course in the summer.

What if I want to back out after enrolling in the Program?

Backing out once accepted into the program is strongly discouraged. We invest our time and institutional reputation in finding internships for students. Employers likewise make an investment in Moritz as they work with us to place students. Backing out squanders these investments, and in some cases has resulted in DC employers no longer considering Moritz students for internships or employment.

To address this problem, students who enroll in the program must pay a $300 good faith deposit, which will be applied to the summer tuition. A student who withdraws from the program in violation of the program rules will forfeit the initial $300 deposit. This fee reflects the time and expense for the College in individually placing the student in an externship and in not having that time available to assist other students in placement. In a small number of instances in past years, students have withdrawn from the program due to health or other significant reasons. The administration has waived the loss of deposit in such cases.

This approach reflects a good-faith understanding when a student enrolls in the program. Moritz will work hard to place the student in a substantive externship, with good work experience. In return, students understand that they are asking Moritz to go through time and expense on their behalf to find that externship, and should not seek or accept employment for the summer elsewhere.

The Ohio State University | Michael E. Moritz College of Law
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